


Touch

by cherokeecaryl



Series: After [3]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: F/M, LingFan Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-14
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-12-02 00:34:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11498082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherokeecaryl/pseuds/cherokeecaryl
Summary: When they meet, they do not touch. He’s the twelfth son, not the prince—none of them are—but a prince still. Most importantly, he was the son of the Yao Clan, the Chosen Clan. Lan Fan is no princess, just a loyal subject, from a loyal family, chosen herself to be the retainer of their Clan, of their future.





	Touch

**Author's Note:**

> This is a companion piece for Duty that I wrote for LingFan Week. The theme here is-you guessed it! Touch!

When they meet, they do not touch. He’s the twelfth son, not _the_ prince—none of them are—but a prince still. Most importantly, he was the son of the Yao Clan, the Chosen Clan. Lan Fan is no princess, just a loyal subject, from a loyal family, chosen herself to be the retainer of their Clan, of their future. Grandfather tells her not to touch Prince Ling, and if it can’t be helped, then only the necessary. Lan Fan is obedient and avoids even coming too close to the prince. What Fu never considered, however, that Ling would be so friendly and touchy. 

 

He lasts a day at most in training without being touched by his guards, the only people around him. Only in fights do they touch Ling, and he just won’t have it. He launches himself at Lan Fan that very night when she hands him a bowl of soup, hugging her tightly while thanking her for not letting him starve to death. And then he is always doing the same. Fu berates him, repeats his command, and extracts Ling from Lan Fan every time, while Lan Fan stands frozen on the spot. 

 

It shouldn’t be a surprise when, after years of spontaneous and sweet hugs of gratitude and friendship, Lan Fan finds herself deep in a crush on the young Lord that will only end in misery for her. 

 

Despite Grandfather’s best attempts, they are not emotionless towards each other like they should be. Lan Fan is close to leaving the trainee position and become a full fledged royal guard. A worthy shadow to their future Emperor. Still, she can’t avoid the friendship and affection between them, and she starts to wonder how much it will hurt when she has to sacrifice their friendship in order to become a chosen retainer and honor her family and Clan. 

 

*

 

Lan Fan sighs and looks away from the window. He’s away visiting his mother and the progressing hours are not good on her nerves, her anxiousness over wether he is going to be attacked or not gets the better of her. She hears movement behind her, but she doesn’t react to it. The qi has been close for a while now and in a way, she’s relieved he finally moved. 

 

“Is this the worry of a bodyguard? Or one of a disgraceful girl in love?”

 

“A shadow has no feelings, Grandfather,” she tells him in a steady voice, but her heart races. She’s fourteen and hiding her blushing face and averting her eyes is becoming a harder task than before. Grandfather sees right through her.

 

“He’s not here so I will say it loud and clear for you to understand, Lan Fan.” Putting his hand on her shoulder, he makes her turn to face him, but she keeps her eyes on the ground. “Forget it. Focus on your duty. You might have a title, Lan Fan,” she scowls at the mention. “But that doesn’t matter, not with you. You’re his guard and his servant, and you should be honored to be as much.” He nudges her chin up until she’s looking at him. He’s lost the harshness and she can glimpse at the man who is her Grandfather and sang to her as a child. “You’re destined for great things, if you only forget. He can hug you, laugh with you, and be your friend, but you must ignore all that, and remember you can’t be his.” 

 

He pats her head and walks to the door, advising her to calm down, he has sent one of his best with the young Lord. Just as he’s about to leave the room he addresses her once more. “One day, he will have fifty women, and you’re not one of them. You need to understand that, because the day will come, too, when you will have to stand by and watch and listen.”

 

Lan Fan does understand, and when the door clicks shuts, a single tear rolls down her face. She doesn’t look out the window after that, she doesn’t need it to know he has arrived.

 

He locates her fast and when he goes inside her room he’s all smiles, though the blissful expression fades when he sees her. 

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“Nothing’s wrong,” she lies. 

 

“Yes, it is,” he says and sits next to her. “It’s all over your face.” He grabs her hand but she snatches it away. 

 

“I’m fine, Master Ling,” Lan Fan says and sets out to look for Fu and request the mask to cover her face. A mask that has been waiting for her. 

 

*

 

The Emperor falls ill soon after, the tensions are high, and the decision to go to Amestris in the quest of immortality is made without much hesitation. They grab the essentials, he says his goodbye to his Clan, and then they’re leaving their beloved country and crossing the desert. 

 

They don’t touch all journey. 

 

Until Xerxes. 

 

The place is a labyrinth, scary and fascinating. The sun rays spill over the cracked stone walls and now under a shadow, Lan Fan takes off her mask and stares at the scenery before her. Ling, who is next to her, breaks the silence and their barriers by letting out a loud sigh and resting his head on her shoulder. 

 

“Everything is frozen here, Lan Fan,” he comments. “Let’s stay here, the two of us.” 

 

They both feel Fu’s qi before Lan Fan can answer and sprint away from each other. 

 

“Found anything?” The old man asks and they both shake their heads. A look of suspicion crosses Fu’s face, but it’s gone before Lan Fan can panic. “We’ll stay here until early morning, then we walk nonstop until we reach Amestris.”

 

It all goes wrong in Amestris. 

 

One moment they believe they have the situation under control and the next Bradley is attacking her. He makes it just in time, using the advantage of the monster’s confusion at her last second slice and tries to escape, but that man—whatever that thing is—doesn’t make it easy on them. He tracks them, follows their trail of blood. Her blood.

 

Lan Fan sees no other choice. 

 

She doesn’t remember much after. Only the pain, being held and protected, and the ghost of lips on her forehead. 

 

*

 

He is gone. 

 

He found immortality. 

 

He let the monster consume him. 

 

He has always been far too greedy. 

 

*

 

He holds her when she can no longer pretend to be strong, when the pain of her automail is excruciating and the pain in her heart is unbearable. She breaks down in his arms in the tiny room the people of Youswell offered them. He cries with her all night, and doesn’t stop even when the little Chang Princess comes to look for them. 

 

Lan Fan falls asleep crying into her King’s shoulder. 

 

*

 

He’s crowned Emperor and takes the throne that is rightfully his. During the ceremony, he looks to the place where he knows she’s concealed. There are so many emotions in his eyes that she feels out of it for the remainder of the ceremony and party, because for the first time she is unable to identify what he is communicating with his stare, and she thinks this is the beginning of the end. 

 

At least, that is what Lan Fan tells herself. 

 

Later in her life, she will admit that she knows exactly what that look in Ling’s eyes meant. 

 

Desire. Love. Greed. 

 

For her. 

 

*

 

When he kisses her for the first time, after years of pining and hiding, Lan Fan thinks she’ll never be able to give this up, not now that’s she’s had it. Years avoiding his stares, his words, his touch, all for a single press of lips to destroy her resolve and turn her as greedy as he is. 

 

She's heard the maids that work in the palace blabber about it, she’s heard all about how necessary it is to the ones that have experienced it, like water for thirst. She’s sure they’re talking more than just a kiss, but the way he does it. If this is just a kiss, she can’t imagine anything more. 

 

As predicted, once her mouth has tasted his, she can’t stop herself. 

 

*

 

Lan Fan is wrong. 

 

She can imagine it going further. Repeatedly. For the better part of the day. 

 

How can she not? He’s daring with his kiss and bold with his touch. 

 

When all obstacles are overcome and destroyed she bares her intentions and body to him, unable to wait a second longer. She doesn’t plan on it being on Mei and Al’s wedding, but she craves it, and the beautiful part of it, she can have it. Lan Fan expects pain, just a little of it, but all that she can feel in that moment is perfection. And she wants more. 

 

More and more and more. 

 

She is not a lifeless doll, she has felt desire before, she has always been aware of her need. Back when she was his shadow, at least once a week Ling’s passionate eyes roamed over her body, even in her baggy uniform, and when her shift was done, she’d run away from him and into her room. 

 

In the relative safety of her own bed, she imagined her hands where his hands, and bit the pillow to muffle the sounds that came out of her mouth. 

 

But it’s different now. 

 

His hands are really touching her all over and in turn her own hands explore his body without restraint. It’s unlike anything she’s felt before and this time, she doesn’t hide the sound that come out of her mouth. He isn’t, so why should she, when he’s being so generous with her?

 

He asks her for more, too. 

 

 

*

His words of encouragement, accompanied by his comforting touch and loving kisses, are the one thing that keep her grounded and sane as she pushes a human being out of her body.

 

Fu is a day old, and already he is like his father; he’s hungry all the time. She is almost done feeding him when his eyes close and then he’s asleep. His eyes, the same shade as Ling’s, but her shape. Lan Fan softly strokes his chubby cheek and stares at him in wonder. 

 

Ling hugs her from behind and Lan Fan smiles and relaxes into his arms. 

 

His touch heals and soothes her, it’s a reminder of his love. 

 

Not that she needs to be reminded, she knows. 


End file.
